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Is Marcus Mariota Playing Today? (Injury Update, Betting Impact for Cowboys vs. Commanders)
Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota missed practice time early in the week with quad and hand injuries, and he's officially been ruled out for Thursday's Christmas Day matchup against the Dallas Cowboys.
With Jayden Daniels (elbow) already ruled out for the season, Washington will turn to veteran quarterback Josh Johnson under center in this matchup. Johnson replaced Mariota in Week 16 against the Philadelphia Eagles, completing 55.6 percent of his passes for 43 yards and an interception.
Commanders QB Josh Johnson will start Christmas Day versus the Cowboys, per Dan Quinn.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 24, 2025
The Commanders were already home underdogs in the opening odds for this game with Dallas, but that line has shifted with Mariota ruled out.
Washington has gone from a 6.5-point underdog to a seven-point underdog in this game, even though the Cowboys have struggled against the spread this season as a favorite, covering in just two of their seven games.
Still, oddsmakers are expecting this to be a high-scoring game, as DraftKings has the total set at 50.5.
Losing Mariota is a pretty big blow for a Washington team that has endured a nightmare 2025 season. The Commanders only have four wins in the 2025 season, and Daniels missed most of the campaign with various injuries.
A former first-round pick, Mariota has filled in nicely for Daniels, completing 61.2 percent of his passes for 1,695 yards, 10 scores and seven picks. He's led the Commanders to just a 2-6 record, but he's one of the more talented backups in the NFL.
Both the Commanders and Cowboys are eliminated from playoff contention, so it'll be interesting to see how aggressive Washington is on offense with Johnson at quarterback on Christmas.
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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Peter is a senior editor for Sports Illustrated Betting. He has worked as a writer and editor for BetSided, NBC Sports, the Connecticut Sun and the Meriden Record-Journal covering the NBA, WNBA, NFL, MLB, and more. A New York City resident, he is a hoops fanatic with a soft spot for his New York Knicks.